14. Wisconsin 49, Michigan 11 (2020)

The 2020 season was an interesting one. After a dominating win against Illinois to begin the year, the Wisconsin Badgers had a COVID outbreak in their program and forced them to cancel their next two games against Nebraska and Purdue. They were able to play the next week in the ‘Big House’ at Michigan after the two weeks off. Even though there were limited fans present, Ann Arbor is still a tough place to play and the Badgers had only won once there since 1995, a 48-28 win in 2010. Michigan came in at 1-2 after back-to-back losses at home against rival Michigan State and at Indiana, which pushed them outside the top 25.

The previous season, the Badgers blitzed the Wolverines and this game was no different. Just like the 2019 meeting, Wisconsin jumped out to a 28-0 lead at halftime and coasted the rest of the way. The Badgers dominated the Wolverines to the tune of 700-87 rushing yards the past two meetings. The 49-11 slaughter put forth by the Badgers was Michigan’s worst loss at home since a 40-0 loss to Minnesota in 1935. The 1-3 start to the season was also the worst start to the season since it went 1-5 in the year 1967.

The drive could not start much better, as Wisconsin scored four touchdowns in its six first half possessions to take the big lead into recess. The Badgers had to punt on their first drive, but the defense stepped up, intercepting Michigan quarterback Joe Milton on the first play offensive play for the Wolverines and twice in the first four plays.

On the first interception, Milton rolled out and was deflected by a Michigan wide receiver and was picked off by a diving Scott Nelson. Four players later, Wisconsin dented the scoreboard first. The biggest play was a reverse by wide receiver Chimere Dike around the right side for 30 yards, which set up a Nakia Watson 2-yard run.

On 3^rd-and-17 on the following possession for the Wolverines, Milton threw a pass directly to linebacker Leo Chenel, who returned it into the red zone. That led to a Mason Stokke 1-yard touchdown reception.

Stokke recorded another touchdown on the next drive, as they drove 60 yards in nine plays. Watson made it 28-0 at the end of the half with a 10-yard rush untouched.

Michigan had a chance to cut into the deficit and give the home team some momentum going into the locker room. The Wolverines had a 74-yard drive, helped by a Giles Jackson 36-yard reception. Michigan thought it had a touchdown on a 3^rd-and-Goal from the 6 when Chris Evans evaded a pair of Wisconsin defenders and lunged toward the end zone. Originally, it was called a touchdown, but then upon review, he was ruled inside the 1. On the fourth down, Milton took the snap out of the shotgun and attempted to run, but was submarined by Badgers defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk and he was brought down shy of the goal line by a host of Badgers.

The Wolverines had a bit of momentum to begin the second half, as Quinn Nordin booted home a 46-yard field goal to put the home team on the board. That was followed by forcing the Badgers to punt. However, Michigan went 3-and-out and had to boot it right back to Wisconsin.

Following the punt, Wisconsin drove 44 yards to put the nail in the Michigan coffin. The biggest play was a 2^nd-and-14 from the Wolverines 48. Wide receiver Danny Davis ran on the jet sweep for seven, but instead of it being a third down, the Wolverines were ruled for a personal foul, which game Bucky a first down. Three plays later, Mertz threw a perfect pass into the end zone over the defenders for Ferguson in the end zone for the 13-yard score.

It was the first of three consecutive touchdowns for the Badgers, as Davis and freshman running back Jalen Berger each ran in for scores that cemented the massive Wisconsin win.

Unfortunately, the Badgers couldn’t keep it going, as they dropped their next three. Without both wide receivers, the offense could not muster anything, scoring a total of 20 points in the three games. However, they did rebound to win their final two games, including the Mayo Bowl, to finish 4-3.